Mail-bag-catching apparatus.



L. W. & G. R. TROXELL.

MAIL BAG CATGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.28,1912.

Patented July 22, 1913.

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LESLIE W. TROXELL AND GEORGE E. TROXELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG'r-CATGHING APPARATUS.

' Application filed November 23, 1912.

1 '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, LnsLin W. Tnoxnm. and Gnonen R. TnoxnLL, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Catching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail bag catching apparatus, the object. of the invention being to provide a mail bag catcher operated by a pneumatic system, thereby reducing the liability of injury to the operator, who may stand at a safe distance from the catching arm of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention to provide means capable of utilization in connection with the ordinary air brake pipe for setting the catcher arm in position to take up a mail bag.

l Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

in the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a car showing the improved ap paratus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal section on the line 22 of nig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section, showing a part of the locking mechanism. Fig. t is a horizontal section on the line at at of 1, looking downward Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 1, looking upward. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-43 of Fig. 1, looking downward.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a sutlicient portion of a car to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto.

In carrying out the present invention, we provide sets of oscillatory sockets 2 arranged adjacent to the side jambs of the door casing, each of said sockets being internally squared to receive the correspondingly squared lower end 3 of a vertical rock shaft 4-, upon which is mounted a catcher arm 5 of the type now in common use, said. arm being adjustable up and down on the shaft 4 by means of a set screw 6.

Above each of the sockets 2 is arranged a cap socket 7, in which the upper end of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 191.

Serial No. 733,139.

shaft 4t adapted to be received and fastened by means of a pin 8 which will, however, allow of the necessary oscillatory movement of the shaft l. By means of the coi'istruction just described, it will be observed that the rock shaft --l.- may be detached from one set of sockets and placed in another set, wherever it is desired to position the catcher arm 5.

Extending downward from each, socket 2 is a crank shaft 9, the same being rigidly connected at its upper end to said socket, so that the socket is caused to turn with the crank shaft. Arranged under the floor of the car is a box-like casing 10. within wnich are two oppositely arranged cylinders 18 having mounted to reciprocate therein pistons 12 having the rods 11 thereof operatively connected with the crank shaft 9, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6. These cylinders are placed in communication with a source of compressed air by means of the pipes 141., and the air is cont-rolled by means of a valve 15 having an operating lever 16.

Each of the sockets 2 is provided with a base flange 17, cut away at one side to form a tlat face 18, with which a locking bolt 19 is adapted to engage, said locking bolt being movable up and down through an opening in the floor of the car. The belt 19 is connected to one arm of a bell. crank lever 20, the other arm of said lever being pivotally attached to a connecting rod 21. This connecting rod is also operatively connected to the valve lever 16, and is further connected to another bell crank lever operated by means of a depressible pedal 23 inside of the car.

2% designates a contii'actile spring which connects one end of the rod 21 to a fixed point, said spring being designed to hold the valve 15 closed, and the locking bolts 15) in engagement with the base flanges 1'? of the sockets 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that when the operator depresses the pedal 23, the valve 15 is opened, simultaneously with the withdrawal of the locking bolts 19. This admits air to the adjacent inner ends of the cylinders and drives the pistons 12 in opposite directions. This causes an oscillatory movement to be imparted to each of the crank shafts 9, and a corresponding movement to the rock shaft t and catcher arm 5. l i hen the bag comes into contact with the arm 5, the arm will be driven back into the car, being resisted by the pressure of air contained in the cylinders, until the arm reaches its innermost position, whereupon the locking bolts will re'e'vngage the base flanges 17 and lock the arm within the car. It will thus be seen that the operator is not required to stand in dangerous proximity to the arm 5 of the catcher, as said arm is controlled entirely by the pistons and cylinders, to which air may be supplied from the air brake system.

hat is claimed is:

1. In mail bag catching apparatus, a vertical rock shaft, a catcher arm thereon, an oscillatory socket in which the lower end of said shaft is stepped, a crank shaft to which said socket is fastened, a cylinder in communication with a source of compressed air, a piston therein operatively connected with said crank shaft, and an air valve controlling said cylinder.

2. In mail bag catching apparatus, a vertical rock shaft, a catcher arm thereon, an oscillatory socket in which the lower end of said shaft is stepped, a crank shaft to which said socket is fastened, a cylinder in communication with a source of compressed air, a piston therein operatively connected with said crank shaft, an air valve controlling said cylinder, and means for locking said socket.

3. In mail bag catching apparatus, a vertical rock shaft, a catcher arm thereon, an oscillatory socket in which the lower end of said shaft is stepped, a crank shaft to which said socket is fastened, a cylinder in communication with a source of compressed air, a piston therein operatively connected with said crank shaft, an air valve controlling said cylinder, a bolt for locking said socket, a rod connected with said bolt and the air valve for simultaneously operating the same, and means for operating said connecting rod.

t. In mail bag catching apparatus, a vertical rock shaft, a catcher arm thereon, an oscillatory socket in which the lower end of said shaft is stepped, a crank shaft to which said socket is fastened, a cylinder in communication with a source of compressed air, a piston therein operatively connected with said crank shaft, an air valve controlling said cylinder, a bolt for locking said socket, and a foot controlled rod connected with and adapted to simultaneously withdraw the locking bolt and open the air valve.

5. In mail bag catching apparatus, a vertical rock shaft, a catcher arm thereon, an oscillatory socket in which the lower end of said shaft is stepped, a crank shaft to which said socket is fastened, a cylinder in communication with a source of compressed air, piston therein operatively connected with said crank shaft, an air valve controlling said cylinder, a bolt for locking said socket, a foot controlled rod connected with and adapted to simultaneously withdraw the locking bolt and open the air valve, and a spring for restoring the air valve and looking bolt to their initial positions.

6. In mail bag catching apparatus, a Vertical rock shaft, a catcher arm thereon, an oscillatory socket in which the lower end of said shaft is removablv stepped, a crank shaft to which said socket is fastened, a cyl inder in communication with a source of compressed air, a piston therein operatively connected with said crank shaft, and an air valve controlling said cylinder.

7. In mail bag catching apparatus, a plurality of oscillatory sockets, a vertical rock shaft adapted to be stepped in either of said sockets, a catcher arm on said rock shaft, crank shafts to which said steps are fastened, cylinders in communication with a source of compressed air, pistons therein operatively connected with said crank shafts, and a manually controlled air valve.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LES-LIE W TROXELL. GEO. R. TROXELL.

lVitnesses:

OWEN J. SEIBERT, H. P. ANGELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

